DURHAM, N.C. -- USA Baseball announced Tuesday its four pre-Olympic dates prior to the team's departure for Beijing. The four-game schedule includes one game in the USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C., on Aug. 1, and three games in the Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham from Aug. 2-4.

U.S. Olympic Team Manager Davey Johnson and General Manager Bob Watson joined representatives from USA Baseball, the Durham Bulls, the City of Durham and the Town of Cary at the American Tobacco Campus in Durham to help make the announcement.

"There's no doubt in our mind that the preparation and support our Olympic Team will get while training here in the Triangle-area will prepare us for the stiff competition at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games," said Paul Seiler, Executive Director/CEO of USA Baseball.

The game on Friday, Aug. 1 in Cary will be at 7:05 PM, and the three games in Durham -- Saturday to Monday, Aug. 2-4 -- will be at 7:05 p.m., 5:05 p.m. and 7:05 p.m., respectively. Tickets to all four games will go on sale to the general public starting June 5 via usabaseball.com.

All four games will be played against the Canadian Olympic Baseball Team who will also be using the series as an Olympic tune-up.

"I have been hearing all of the great things about the facilities in Cary and Durham, and to be able to utilize them before leaving for Beijing is something I'm very much looking forward to," said Johnson. "We are thrilled to be able to share our excitement for the upcoming Games with residents of the Triangle.

"The goal is to win in Beijing, and with the help of everyone here in the Triangle, I know we can do that," Watson said.

USA Baseball last competed in the Olympic Games in Sydney in 2000 where it took home the gold medal.